The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in South Africa is facing a crisis as students wait for their monthly living allowances to be paid for essentials such as food, transport, and hygiene products. The scheme has stopped contracts with four service providers implicated in wrongdoing with its former CEO, Andile Nongogo. These events happen during preparations for year-end exams, and affected students are worried that they will be left without food as they start preparations for their end-of-year exams.
NSFAS announced that it will continue to disburse allowances to students through its direct payment partners until an official communication indicates otherwise. However, board chairperson Ernest Khosa said students won't be negatively affected by the cancellation of the contracts. NSFAS CEO Andile Nongogo had been given seven days to respond to allegations of improper conduct against him over his alleged involvement in the handling of the arrangements. NSFAS recently fired him.
Students have not received any information from NSFAS about the matter or confirmation about whether they will receive their allowances. One student, Katleho Mofokeng, studying towards a BCom at the University of the Western Cape, told Daily Maverick that he had not been paid his allowance. He described the lack of communication as "draining" and worried about losing concentration as he has to make other plans to try and have money that will get him home.
Calvin Matjele, a third-year Geographical and Environmental Science student at the University of Cape Town, also expressed concerns about whether he would receive his allowance on time. He said that having to study with a concern of when their allowances will be paid at the back of his mind is affecting his studies and causing him to lose concentration.
NSFAS denied claims of late payments to students on Tuesday, 31 November, stating that payments of allowances have been processed on time to all NSFAS beneficiaries. The scheme said that due to "phishing threats" in disbursing allowances, NSFAS had to implement additional security measures to protect the system from potential fraud. However, NSFAS is still on track to disburse allowances to students on the 1st of November, 2023.
This article is republished from the Daily Maverick. Please click here to read the original article.
